Barry Bowman On Moving Up

[movethechain]

David Smoak is reporting that Barry Bowman is leaving 3A Paris to become DC at 4A Pine Tree. You can read about it here:

http://www.smoaky.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=136121

[Matthew328]

very fishy move IMO...heard Bowman was leaving in Dec at the state title games...so something tells me Bowman was looking to get out, couldn't find anything better and had to take this one..

[movethechain]

He explains it in the article. Personal reasons. Gotta respect his priorities. I wish him well. BTW, I'm a PT alumni, but Gilmer Buckeye at heart, since I went to school there for many years. Pine Tree has suffered for years and can honestly use all the help we/they can get.

[Matthew328]

I am well aware of what he told Smoaky...like I said the move seems quite odd..I'll leave it at that

[bigwood33]

It smacks of "I gotta get out of this place". No one leaves Paris for PT unless Paris is a snakepit...PT certainly wouldn't seem to be the better job.

[YTBulldogs]

Yeah, not sure the thread title, Bowman "moving up" is very accurate. A step down seems more realistic.

[Matthew328]

Its a step down for sure...PT is a doormat...Paris has some decent looking kids and can more often than not compete at the 3A level....he had done a good job in his two years there...

[waterboy]

I think Bowman's leaving Paris was for personal reasons, obviously. I won't speculate as to what happened to make him want to leave Paris, but it was most likely a political difference with someone over there, and he also has family in the Longview area he wants to be closer to. He has also coached before with Fitzhenry before, and they have similar coaching philosophies. I don't think he took very much of a paycut at all with this move, either. I think Pine Tree is one of those schools that with the right coaches and tenure, they would be able to compete well at the 4A level. They will just have to stick to the program. Changing the mindset of the football players, and getting the parents and school board commited to staying the course will be the toughest challenges. Good luck to Coach Bowman.

[Aesculus gilmus]

I think Bowman's leaving Paris was for personal reasons, obviously. I won't speculate as to what happened to make him want to leave Paris, but it was most likely a political difference with someone over there, and he also has family in the Longview area he wants to be closer to. He has also coached before with Fitzhenry before, and they have similar coaching philosophies. I don't think he took very much of a paycut at all with this move, either. I think Pine Tree is one of those schools that with the right coaches and tenure, they would be able to compete well at the 4A level. They will just have to stick to the program. Changing the mindset of the football players, and getting the parents and school board commited to staying the course will be the toughest challenges. Good luck to Coach Bowman.

Given Carl Padilla's predictions on cutoff numbers, I think there's a pretty good chance that Pine Tree will be one of the largest schools in the new Class 4A Division I, so there's that.

IMO, Pine Tree and Gilmer should resume their long-running series which recently ended, particularly since the Pirates have a new stadium.
http://www.news-journal.com/etvarsity/high_school/football-outlook-pine-tree-to-welcome-new-offense-stadium/article_fbf7328e-8280-5f2d-a5ed-02b41eaa68ce.html